


Heart of a Pirate, Soul of a Surgeon

by lululawlawlu



Series: LawLu Fluff [7]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Implied Sexual Content, Law is a sexy grump, Luffy Being Luffy, M/M, Medical Terminology, existential pondering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-26
Updated: 2016-10-26
Packaged: 2018-08-27 04:42:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8387593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lululawlawlu/pseuds/lululawlawlu
Summary: This is a collection of drabbles and one-shots featuring Trafalgar Law (originally written for his birthday week).These are almost entirely LawLu because I ship them too hard.





	1. Pockets

Law walked in to find his room in complete disarray, at least by his standards. Tee shirts were strewn out over his bed. His underwear was dumped unceremoniously onto a pile on his desk. A pair of pants lay dangling with one leg over his chair. Every remaining article of clothing he owned, it seemed, was lying on the floor in a heap as if his closet had gotten sick and spewed out all his clothes. On top of the heap lie the reason for the mess.

“Ah, smells like Torao~” the petite captain breathed in deeply, savoring the aroma of his lover. Most people wouldn’t find the smell of antiseptic to be very sensual, but this smelled clean, sweet and oddly herbal. Luffy knew it simply as ‘Torao’s smell’. His expression looked utterly euphoric as he breathed it in.

“What the hell, Mugiwara-ya!” Law growled, obviously agitated, as he started picking up his clothing. “Are you high or something?” Luffy may as well have been for all of the happiness and comfort he found in the scent of the other.

“Oh, that’s right!” Luffy leapt to his feet. He bent over to dig through the pile of clothes, tossing the ones he rejected in Law’s direction. “This one,” Luffy beamed, as he turned around, holding up a large-pocketed black and yellow hoodie with Law’s jolly roger smiling on the front. “Give me this one.”

“…because you want to smell me when I’m not around?” Law guessed.

“Of course!” Luffy didn’t even have to think about his answer as he slipped on the oversized hoodie. The sleeves hung down over his hands slightly and though it hid most of his body, it looked adorable on his small frame.

Law’s expression softened. He was touched that Luffy adored him so much. “Sure, you can have it,” he smiled.

“And, it has big meat pockets!” Luffy declared, his eyes sparkling with joy as he slid his hands into them. Law’s smile fell as quickly as it had come.

“ _Do not_ put meat in those pockets!” he shouted, but Luffy was already out the door and running down the hall eager to fill his new pockets.


	2. Bedtime Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well, I guess I could read you a bedtime story,” Law offered, “but the only books I have are my textbooks, and those just wouldn’t be any fun for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I revised this about a million times trying to get the medical terminology just right. 
> 
> I narrowed it down to just 2 words that are necessary, but readers may not know- coccygeal (kok-sij-ee-uhl) and coccyx (kok-siks). The meaning is explained in the story.

Luffy made his way across the floor of their tiny, one-room apartment to the bed. Law had propped himself up with pillows to the headboard of the bed and made himself cozy with a book while waiting for his younger boyfriend to finish his shower and join him.

The hot water had felt irresistibly soothing on Luffy’s skin in contrast to the cold night air and by the time he had finished his long shower, Law was already dozing.

Luffy toweled off his hair and flopped down next to Law. Law felt the weight of Luffy’s body cause his own to shift on the bed and wrench him back to the waking world. The prospective surgeon inhaled sharply as he stretched his weary muscles and his boyfriend lifted the sheet to slip into bed next to him. He wrapped his arm around Luffy’s waist as the younger nuzzled up against his tattooed chest. Placing his book on a side table, Law reached up to turn off the light.

“Are you really going to sleep already?” Luffy whined.

“Yeah, I’ve got another early day tomorrow,” Law sighed, “Med school isn’t easy, you know.” Luffy truly didn’t know. He probably knew even less about med school than an ant knew about quantum physics, which is to say he didn’t have the slightest idea.

“Well, I’m not sleepy at all.” Luffy poked the light back on. “Make out with me.”

Law gave him a quick peck on the lips. “There, now let’s sleep.”

“You’re not doing it right,” Luffy pouted, wrapping his arms around Law’s neck. He stuck out his the tip of his tongue and tried to press it between Law’s lips, inadvertently licking his boyfriend’s teeth. Law pushed him back by the shoulders and held him at arm’s length but Luffy stuck his tongue out farther, waggling it around in an attempt to reach Law.

“You’re the one who’s not doing it right,” Law corrected, taking a hand off of one of Luffy’s shoulders to wipe the spit from his lips.

“Come on~” Luffy whined.

“I’m beyond exhausted right now.”

“Sing me a song. Sing me ‘Dr. Heart Stealer’!”

“Not right now.” Law tried on his best grumpy frown.

Luffy collapsed on top of Law, letting out a groan for as long as his lungs would let him.

“Well, I guess I could read you a bedtime story,” Law offered, “but the only books I have are my textbooks, and those just wouldn’t be any fun for you.”

“That’s okay,” Luffy smiled widely. He grabbed the one off of the nightstand and handed it to Law.

Law flipped quickly through the book, trying to find the most boring page. Luffy eagerly wormed his way under the arm holding the book and pressed his body close so that he could see the illustrations of the skeletal system. Law cleared his throat and began to read.

“This small bone found at the base of the spine resembles an abbreviated version of a tail. It may consist of up to five coccygeal vertebrae which are fused to create a single bone. It is known as the coccyx.”

Luffy giggled.

“What?” Law paused to look at him before continuing, “The coccyx-”

Luffy burst out laughing.

Law gave him a puzzled look. “What’s so funny?”

“Cock-” Luffy gasped for breath. “Six. You said 'cock six’. You-” At that point Luffy had begun distorting his speech with laughter but Law caught the words “tail” and “cock” several times.

“Coccyx,” Law mulled the word over trying to imagine what was so funny.

The younger doubled over, more laughter bursting out of him at hearing the word again. Knowing him, Law figured that Luffy must have been having some seriously strange mental images to sustain his laughing fit.

“Coccyx is the name for your tail bone and I’m about to kick yours if you don’t let me get some sleep,” Law warned him playfully as he closed the book. He gently knocked Luffy on the head with it before setting it back on the nightstand by the bed and shutting off the light.

He could tell Luffy was tired too. He often laughed at the most absurdly mundane things when he was.

Luffy took several deep breaths, attempting to quell his humor. He settled into Law’s embrace in the darkness, his body still shaking with nearly silent giggles as he whispered “cock six”, thinking of whatever mental images were keeping him amused.


	3. Beloved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is part of a collection of drabbles and one-shots featuring Trafalgar Law.  
> 

When Law said “alliance”, Luffy heard “friendship”.  
When Law said “plan”, Luffy heard “adventure”.  
It should not have come as a surprise to Law that when he referred to him as his “partner in crime”, Luffy somehow heard “boyfriend”. 

 

Law wasn't complaining though. How could he? Even Luffy's most annoying habits became the things that he found most endearing when they were apart. Luffy’s indomitable enthusiasm, his carefree attitude, and sense of adventure were at times frustrating, but ultimately part of his charm. And then there was the way Luffy felt genuine empathy for others- even people he barely knew. Law felt the world was a dark, cruel place. He usually wouldn’t lift a finger to help those he hadn’t become invested in, but Luffy’s odd sense of heroics intrigued him. He couldn’t help the smile that inched its way onto his face every time he thought of it. 

 

What good was being allies without friendship?  
Why make a plan if it didn't include adventure?  
How could you be partners in crime without complete, unwavering trust exactly like you would have in a relationship? 

 

Luffy couldn't have asked for more. Well, he could and he often did, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that Law was always there for him whenever he needed it and Luffy wanted it to be mutual. Law cared deeply for and was protective of those closest to him. Luffy knew he had a kind heart even if he was overly guarded and more than a little reluctant to show it. Luffy truly admired those soft qualities hidden beneath Law’s dark and overly serious demeanor. He was confident that theirs was a relationship that would help to shape the new age.


	4. Can't Get Enough Of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy can't stand being without Law. Luffy's crew can't stand his obsession.

“Torao impression,” Luffy announced cheerfully to the crew members present on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, before fixing his face into a scowl. “Stick to the plan,” he spoke in the lowest tone he could manage. Nobody was amused. Luffy had been talking about and doing impressions of Law non-stop since they parted ways with the Heart Pirates.

Sanji had made the mistake of coming out onto the deck to deliver a snack and Luffy honed in on him like a missile to its target.

“Say, it Sanji,” Luffy urged, grabbing hold of him. He leaned in too close so that his forehead was touching the cook’s “Say it!”

“We’re having sandwiches,” Sanji replied in monotone. He knew his line.

“Uuagh! I hate bread!” Luffy cried out dramatically as he furrowed his brows. “It’s just like Torao, right? Right?” He grabbed his sides as he laughed at himself.

The Straw Hat crew had never been so close to mutiny.

Usopp sighed, “If you’re going to do his impression, at least do a new one.” Usopp was the one of the people who usually appreciated Luffy’s impressions the most, but even he had grown tired Luffy constantly imitating Law. Luffy opened his mouth to speak but was cut short when a heavy fist collided with his skull.

“That’s enough!” Nami commanded, using all the force she could manage to strike her captain again.

Luffy flopped over onto the Sunny’s lawn. “Torao’s bounty is the same as mine,” he said for what seemed like the millionth time that day, smiling as he watched his finger draw the Heart Pirates’ jolly roger in the short grass.

“Can’t we do anything for him?” Chopper asked Robin, as he watched on from the upper part of the deck. He felt guilty for not being able to fix Luffy’s problem, but he was pretty sure it was a mental illness, not something physical that he was familiar with.

“I just called Torao-kun again. It’ll be another three days until we can meet,” Robin informed the little doctor.

“I miss Torao,” Luffy sighed, rolling onto his back. 

… … … … … … … …

Law let out a forceful sneeze.

“Oh, someone is talking about you, captain,” Bepo observed.

“That’s just a ridiculous superstition,” the surgeon replied, “but I think I might be getting sick.” Law could use his ability to cure even simple illness, but it was best to let the body fight these things by itself and build up immunities. In that case, maybe they would need to delay meeting up with the Straw Hat crew.


	5. Next Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you think we can meet in the next life?” Luffy asked, eyes studying the lines of his lover’s tattoo as he traced its patterns over his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some LawLu drabble/ fluff I wrote while considering the existential, though I tried not to get in too deep with this.

Luffy rested his head on Law’s shoulder. He felt the rise and fall of his lover’s chest as he steadily drew breath and let it pass back out from his lungs. He could hear Law’s heart beat slowly inside as if ticking away time. Oddly, it reminded Luffy of a conversation he’d had with Robin about mortality.

“Do you think we can meet in the next life?” Luffy asked, eyes studying the lines of his lover’s tattoo as he traced its patterns over his chest.

“Hmm?” Law’s query resounded from within his chest. Not only did Law not really believe in reincarnation, it seemed like such an unusual question coming from someone who always seemed to live in the here-and-now.

“Robin says if you have a strong enough bond then you can,” he explained.

“Well, what do you think?” Law was genuinely curious.

“I want to be with you forever.”

“But we’re both going to die eventually. Nobody really knows what happens after death.”

“Then I’m gonna love you so hard right now!” Luffy squeezed Law’s body tightly as if he was afraid Law would cease to exist if he didn’t love him hard enough. He was trying to say that he wanted to make the most of their time together.

In an ideal world they would never have to let go of anyone, but it was because of absence that they cherished the memories of those both living and passed even more. They both knew it all too well.

Law squeezed him back with his only free arm. He pressed a kiss to Luffy’s forehead and buried his face in his hair, savoring the scent of his lover.

“At least I can promise to always be there for you in this life. I’ll never leave or betray you,” he whispered into Luffy’s ear.

“I know,” the younger smiled brightly.


	6. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy never got tired of drawing on others faces when they slept. Generally, as a party rule, whoever fell asleep first at the place of celebration forfeited their face as a canvas for the punishment and Law was no exception.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been feeling contemplative lately, having lots of existential thoughts, and thinking about what Law would be like drunk. This was born from that…

Luffy never got tired of drawing on others faces when they slept, and Law was no exception. Generally, as a party rule, whoever fell asleep first at the place of celebration forfeited their face as a canvas for the punishment. 

 

This time Luffy had caught Law dozing as the Pirates of the Straw-Heart Alliance still partied with full mugs on the beach nearby their ships. In lieu of marker, Luffy had borrowed Nami’s makeup bag with which to deliver Law’s punishment. He'd receive his own punishment later at the hands of his navigator, but at that moment, he just couldn't pass up the opportunity. 

 

“Smile, Torao~” he laughed leaning over his ally, scarlet lipstick at the ready. 

 

Law felt something slide its way across his mouth. He swatted it away with his hand as he grumbled in his sleep and rolled over in a feeble attempt to escape. Next, something came poking at his eye which he again tried to push away. If not for Nami’s shriek of horror, he might not have woken up from his alcohol-induced slumber at all. 

 

“Luffy! Do you have any idea how much this costs!?” 

 

“Aww, give it back, Nami. I'm not done,” her captain whined. 

 

“Not a chance! And I'm charging you 2 million beli just for touching it!” she snapped at him. 

 

“Nami-swan~” Sanji called rushing over, “What's wrong?” He stopped in his tracks at seeing Law. All of the colour drained from his own face as a chill ran down his spine. His mouth fell open, releasing his still burning cigarette onto the ground. Memories of dress-wielding okama flashed in his head. 

 

Law sleepily glared daggers at them all. Could they be any more obnoxious? Law didn't even have to guess what had happened. He already knew. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, smearing the makeup down his cheek and pulled himself from the sand to stagger back to his own ship. He cursed himself for trying to keep up with Zoro’s drinking pace and not withdrawing from the party before falling asleep. 

 

Boarding the Polar Tang, he stumbled to the captain’s room to wash his face in his private bathroom. This was unbelievably annoying. Why did his ally decide that this kind of behavior needed to become a ritual at every celebration and why did he include Law in it when he knew how much he hated it? It was just uncalled for and- 

 

Law caught sight of himself in the bathroom mirror. He stared in half-drunken, shocked disbelief at the reflection. Luffy had only managed to get one of his eyes coloured, and thanks to Law’s rubbing the colour now spread down from his eye, onto his cheek. His lipstick was drawn on in an absurd manner, stretching from his right cheek to his left, far extending the borders of his lips. He bore an uncanny resemblance to a face he'd not seen in a long time- a face whose shape he always feared he may forget.

 

Law continued to stare at himself through weary, unfocused eyes. His blurry mind tried to make sense of what he was seeing in himself. He absentmindedly brought his fingers up to trace the red line that ran across his face. It was a little distorted by his scowl, prompting him to pull his lips into a smile to make the line smooth. That was it. That was the expression that best fit a face like this. 

 

... ... ... ... ...

“Hey, Law. I love you,” Corazon smiled widely through the blood that streaked over his face before closing the lid on the chest that concealed the boy. His expression on that battered face initially startled Law but his words had brought the boy immeasurable comfort. Law had finally found some hope in the future and for the first time since his family's passing, someone who loved him and wanted to care for him. But in the end things hadn't turned out at all like he'd expected that day. 

... ... ... ... ...

 

Law grasped the bathroom sink as his hands began to shake. He pressed his forehead to the mirror. The red line on his face once again distorted. A stinging sensation came to his eyes as warm tears pooled around their edges and ran down his cheeks, dragging the eye colour with them. Law sank to the floor, releasing his grip on the sink to sit with his back against the door. 

 

“Cora-san, am I living the way you would have wanted me to?” he cried out. “I’ve succeeded in your ambition, so why? Why do I still feel like there’s a hole in my heart?” Law slammed his fist on the tiled floor. He cupped his face with his other hand, sobbing into it. His alcohol-clouded mind swam with aging memories and questions about the future. 

 

A sound at the door ripped him out of his thoughts. Nobody had permission to enter his room. Nobody ever dared disturb him there. Almost immediately, the door opened into the main room as Luffy revealed himself. Law was about to shout at him to get out. He didn’t want anyone to know see the weak, helpless side of him that was now painfully obvious. Instead, his voice caught in his throat as the younger captain replaced the door at his back, wrapping him in his arms, and pulling Law’s head against his shoulder. 

 

“I’m sorry,” Luffy whispered, showing a side of himself that Law wouldn’t have guessed was there. His solution to problems of this sort was usually to kick someone’s ass to make it better, but in this case he was at a complete loss. “I’m really sorry,” he said again, squeezing Law’s body against his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “All of your experiences, the best and worst, come together to make you the wonderfully unique person that you are. So, when you're feeling down, don't despair, but remember you are not alone. Whether you know it or not, someone will be there to treasure you.” -unknown


	7. The Unluckiest Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law resigned himself to hunger as he sulked to the bathroom. On the way his calendar greeted him from the wall. It was October 6th. Law smirked. What a great birthday this was turning out to be.

Law woke to the sun beating down from his uncurtained window, assaulting his eyes and warming his body uncomfortably. Thanks to a power outage during the night his phone hadn’t charged. Grabbing hold of it to check the time he found the battery was completely dead and consequently the alarm hadn’t gone off. The prospective surgeon sluggishly pulled himself up to check the clock on the wall- 9:30. He hadn’t doubted that he was late for work. He was always up before the sun and on the first train running. He just hadn’t imagined he was a full three hours late. There was no use in rushing. He’d take the time to think up an excuse.

Law stumbled sleepily to the kitchen area of his tiny apartment, stretching his weary muscles. He popped open his rice cooker. Little uncooked grains greeted him from the cold water they were left to soak in. That’s right, the electricity was off. Even his usually percolating coffee pot stood on standby with its filter and grounds still dry. All of his reliance on pre-set timers and automated kitchen appliances was just making his morning routine exasperating.

Law resigned himself to hunger as he sulked to the bathroom. On the way his calendar greeted him from the wall. It was October 6th. Law smirked. What a great birthday this was turning out to be. Law had always somehow felt like his birthday was an inherently unlucky day.

He pulled off his clothes and stepped into the shower. Law turned his hand over under the frigid spray, waiting for the water to become warm. Oh, right, the water heater wouldn’t be working either. Law groaned as he stepped into the icy stream to lather his body as quickly as he could. He couldn’t wait to be out of that powerless apartment.

… … … … …

The cool breeze that greeted Law at his door and brushed through his damp hair brought along the scent of roasting coffee from the shop on the corner. It was soothing to his weary senses and drew him in instinctively. Usually Law preferred to brew his own coffee at home but he couldn’t resist the temptation of the dense, slightly sweet aroma filling the street.

The shop’s door stood open, welcoming him into its eclectic interior. The cafe was stuffed with a variety of mismatched chairs and tables set on a cement floor littered with various rugs. It seemed like the kind of place you’d get if you gelt compelled to take used furniture every time you saw a piece of it sitting out by the trash.

It was the perfect time between breakfast and lunch that had left the cafe empty. A solitary barista, likely a university student, leaned on front counter poking at his phone and laughing to himself. It took him a moment to notice Law, and as if to compensate for unintentionally ignoring him, he flashed a wide, overly friendly smile while asking to take his order.

After placing his order, Law spied an outlet along the wall and slid into a cushioned chair nearby to plug his phone in. He may as well check the damage so he’d know what he was in for before he arrived late to work. He was still doing his residency, working directly under a full fledged surgeon. It was extremely important for him to take his job seriously. He tried not to think about how much trouble he was in as his phone blinked on.

All at once he felt something warm splash against his leg, leaving awkward spots all over his jeans. A paper cup rocked back and forth on the floor near his foot. This day was just turning out perfectly. The barista sprung up from where he’d fallen over a rug, dashing to the counter for towels to clean his spill.

“Ah, I’m sorry!” he cried, returning with towels in hand. He patted Law’s leg twice and left the towel over his knee as he turned his attention to the coffee pooled on the floor. Law’s attention was pulled toward the barista whose carelessness was just furthering the list of ills he’d had to suffer so far. Law wanted to complain but thought better of it. This guy was probably having a pretty shitty day too. For the first time that day, Law was pulled from his blind moping and self-absorbed pity.

Law found himself unconsciously staring at the younger man whose obsidian-black hair hung in his face, framing his smooth skin and youthful features. The scar under his left eye suggested that he was likely the clumsy type. Law’s eyes traced the curve of his face down to where his soft pink lips formed a straight line in concentration. The barista looked up to catch Law’s eyes in his own, prompting the startled onlooker to avert his eyes quickly to the side.

Law snatched up his phone to thumb through the apps, mind falling blank as he attempted to remember that he was looking for missed calls from the hospital.

It wasn’t until the barista returned with a fresh cup of coffee and set it down on the low table in front of him that Law noticed the bloody scrape on the younger man’s knee.

“We should take care of that,” Law told him, assessing the wound as he stood. “Where’s your first aid kit?”

“Uh, it’s over here somewhere.” The barista lead the way to the counter and rifled around to pull out a small white box with a cross on the lid. Law lead him to the nearest chair and made him sit while he swabbed the wound.

“Oh, you’re good at this,” the younger marveled.

A smirk tugged at Law’s lips. “I’m training to be a surgeon,” he explained.

“Thanks for this. I’m Luffy by the way,” he beamed at Law. “What should I call you, handsome surgeon man?”

“Law,” he replied, dabbing the knee with antibiotic cream, and carefully sticking a bandage over it.

“Thanks again, Law.” Luffy jumped up and dashed behind the counter to retrieve a coupon. “Here, you can get a free cup of coffee anytime. I owe you,” he informed him still smiling as he handing over the little paper.

“It’s completely empty in here right now. How about you grab yourself that cup of coffee and sit with me a while,” Law suggested, handing the coupon back to Luffy.

Luffy hummed discontentedly. “That’s no fun,” he frowned, delivering a blow to Law’s self esteem. Pulling a pen from his pocket, he turned the coupon over and scribbled his phone number on the back before handing it to Law again. “I can hang out a little now, but it would be more fun if you want to meet after I finish work,” he explained, a faint blush gracing his cheeks.

Law’s phone buzzed on the table startling them both. Law took it in his hand as Luffy stood on tiptoes to peek curiously over his shoulder, reading along with Law. It was a message from Shachi: ‘Pls don’t kill us for turning off your alarm. Me & Pen got you the day off for your b-day. Enjoy it.’ These men weren’t just nurses, they were goddamn saints. Law felt like his luck was starting to come around.

He turned to Luffy. “When do you get off work today?”

“9:00 tonight. I’ve got a double shift,” Luffy answered matter-of-factly. He paused for a moment. His expression distorted in contemplation before he added “…but I think I can get someone to cover for me. Let’s do something fun for your birthday!”


End file.
